Society of the Grateful Heart

I have a long distance friend who makes a choice every day to be grateful in spite of huge personal losses and the diagnosis of a serious, debilitating disease. Her commitment to gratitude has caught my attention.

I have a long distance friend who makes a choice every day to be grateful in spite of huge personal losses and the diagnosis of a serious, debilitating disease. Her commitment to gratitude has caught my attention.

She is a compelling model.  I can see a change in her. There is a presence about her. The Presence of Christ is evident in her presence. I am drawn to her grace, her countenance and her invitation to join her in, shall we call it – “the society of the grateful heart.”

How biblical is this? Actually it’s rather scary-convicting when you look at God’s view of grumbling – the antithesis of gratitude. It is not a pretty picture. For one glimpse, look at those mentioned in I Corinthians 10 where warnings are given from Israel’s history. Several examples plus the consequences are listed. The last example says… “and do not grumble as some of them did – and were killed by the destroying angel.”

Wow, they must have been really bad to warrant that kind of judgment. Lest we feel smug remember this is a simple choice that can become a raging, entrenched habit. Do not grumble – complain, grouse around, nitpick, criticize, blame, etc., etc. It is just not something you should do, especially when the alternate choice is to be thankful.

You grumble for very long and it becomes a habit – they say six weeks. It is so much more life giving to develop gratefulness. Even Job in his most dire hour of suffering and loss spoke these words – “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord…shall we indeed accept good from the Lord and not accept adversity? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 1:21; 2:10.

How can we not shout with gratitude when you consider all that God has given us:
    Access to His Presence  – Hebrews 4:14-16
    His constant companionship 24/7 that will never leave or change or disappoint
    The indwelling of His Presence to comfort, inform and illumine our minds
    Help when we are tempted to complain  – I Corinthians 10:13
    Hope, acceptance, membership in His family, forgiveness, eternal life and on and on.

The writer of Hebrews sums it up well in 12:28-29.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

Being this kind of woman is quite appealing to me – one characterized by being thankful and grateful with minimal complaining. Not an easy choice at times. It must grieve the heart of God when we, His children, grumble, complain and fail to acknowledge who He is and all He has done for us.

Gratitude is a focus shifter and an eye opener to God’s Presence everywhere. And, it brings Him great glory. By God’s grace, I want to be in this “society of the grateful heart” and invite you to join my friend and me…right now.